Solar power plants are very similar to other conventional power plants - with one significant difference: The majority of power plants use power from fossil fuels like oil, coal and gas. These conventional power plants burn the fossil fuels to produce steam, which drives turbines and generates electricity. When they burn the fossil fuel they produce greenhouse gases that contribute to global warming.
Solar power systems utilize the power of the sun's rays to generate electricity and do not need to burn any fossil fuel. When used on an industrial scale the process is similar to a conventional power plant. The difference is that to power the plant the solar panels collect the heat from the sun, this is then reflected into a receiver. The receiver uses this energy to turn water into steam. The steam is then used to turn the turbines and generate electricity.
On the days when the earth receives the most sunlight the maximum power density that the sun can give is about 1kW per square meter. This means that one square meter of solar panel can produce as much as 100 GWh (gigawatt hours) of electricity in one year. This is enough to power 50,000 houses. The only problem with these figures is that the efficiency of solar panels can be effected environmental factors including pollution, clouds, temperature and atmospheric humidity.
Unfortunately, only a tiny portion of the Sun's energy is harnessed and the world still relies on power plants that burn fossil fuels. The good thing, though, is that there is a constant increase in demand for solar energy; and over the years of continuous development, solar panels are much cheaper today. It is even possible to install small localised solar panels which don't use water and steam to generate electricity. These are called photovoltaic cells, or PV's.
PV cells come in a variety of sizes and they can generate electricity effectively maintenance free for 25 to 40 years. Most of the manufacturers of solar panels give their product a 25 year warranty as an assurance that solar panels will be dependable.
Today, there are more than 10,000 households with solar energy systems and the number of systems being installed is constantly rising. If the demand for solar energy, and other forms of alternative energy, continues to rise it will reduce the demand for oil.
Residential solar energy system can save you money by reducing the amount of electricity you by in from the power companies. In some cases where the solar power system is sizeable it may generate enough electricity to turn your electric meter backwards and you will be paid for the electricity you supply to the power companies. The excess energy that your solar energy system produces will go into the power grid and be used by other homes.
Until recently PV solar panels for residential use have been very expensive to install, however things are changing and it is now possible to build you own residential solar power system for literally a few hundred dollars.
If we all build our own Solar Panel and reduce our use of fossil fuel for electricity generation it can only have a positive effect on the environment.
To find out more about how to build a Solar Panel System and how every home could benefit from one, go to [http://diy-energy-online.com/#/solar/4539180046]
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